Sudan admits rights abuses, including rape, by allies in Darfur
August 23, 2004
AFP

KHARTOUM : The Sudanese government has acknowledged for the first time that its militia allies in Darfur have committed serious human rights abuses, including rape, and given the United Nations a list of 30 suspects, Khartoum dailies said.

The list was handed over to the UN Human Rights Comission's international observer, Emanuel Akoy, by Justice Minister Ali Mohammed Osman Yassin, the papers said.

Rape was among an array of accusations levelled against the 30, despite longstanding denials by Sudanese officials of rights watchdog Amnesty International's accusations that rape was being used systematically as a weapon in the suppression of the 18-month-old armed rebellion by ethnic minorities in Darfur.

"The government does not deny that human rights abuses occur and it will not protect those who commit them," Ali Mohammed Osman Yassin admitted on Sunday.

He called for "help from international observers and voluntary organisations" and asked them to "pass on any information they have, particularly concerning rapes," to the authorities.

Penalties against named militia commanders were among possible sanctions against Sudan canvassed by Washington at the United Nations last month before the Security Council decided to give Khartoum until August 29 to take action on disarming the Janjaweed militia or face unspecified "measures".

The list is designed to placate the UN Security Council, which will consider the situation in Darfur from August 30, the day after the ultimatum expires.

The Janjaweed are pro-government Arab militia, accused by the UN and humanitarian organisations of forcing black African Sudanese off their land.

UN chief envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, has to present a preliminary report on Darfur to the Security Council on Tuesday, Sudanese sources say.

Among those on the list of suspects are two former policemen believed to have been involved in the torching of a village and who were sacked and imprisoned in Nyala, in South Darfur State, and two reservist soldiers from the Popular Defence Forces, accused of raping two women refugees.

On Friday, UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) director of Sudan operations, Jean-Marie Fakhouri, said most of the displaced people in the Masteri camp near the Chad border, who fled attacks on their own villages, were still prey to the depredations of the state-sponsored Arab militias.

"When they venture outside, they are regularly attacked by Janjaweed militiamen," a statement said.

"A 43-year-old woman told members of Fakhouri's team that she was one of many women who had been raped when she went out of Masteri for food and firewood.

"She said women are being raped every day, but they continue to go out because the men will be killed if they venture out."

In July, Amnesty International accused Khartoum of crimes against humanity and expressed particularly concern about wide-scale rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, including kidnapping, sexual slavery and torture.

The government has constantly denied this and has organised demonstrations by women, particularly in Darfur itself, to denounce these "false accusations" against Sudan.

On Saturday, the public prosecutor in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, announced that 13 people, including "two drivers belonging a foreign organisation" had been charged with having "entirely fabricated" a video purporting to show a rape committed by Sudanese soldiers.

- AFP